MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING FAQS

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is a collaborative and voluntary agreement issued by the Government for payroll giving agencies (PGAs) and charities. It has been produced following the Government’s extensive payroll giving consultation which took place in 2013.

Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) is demonstrating our continued commitment to seeing more donations reach good causes through payroll giving by signing up to the MoU.

Who has been involved in the MoU consultation?

Several charities who are members of the Institute of Fundraising’s Payroll Giving Special Interest Group were part of the Government consultation. They have been closely involved in shaping the proposed changes. The MoU document, which you can access at the top of this page, provides details of who was involved. An update was also provided by the Institute of Fundraising at the annual payroll giving conference in June 2015.

What changes are being recommended by the MoU?

One recommendation made by the MoU is the introduction of a standardised format for the charity disbursement reports that PGAs provide to charities. We are also continuing to work with the Government to implement other changes proposed in the MoU and will provide further information on this in due course.

What will the changes mean for us?

Standardised reporting will give you greater clarity about your payroll giving donors and make it easier for you to combine and interpret donor information provided by multiple PGAs.

Will all the PGAs make these changes to their disbursement reports?

CAF is one of a number of PGAs who have signed up to the MoU. We are working together to make sure all our disbursement reports are standardised.

When will the changes take place?

The new reports will be available from the end of October 2015, following the October disbursement to charities.

What format will the new disbursement report be in?

The new disbursement report brings together both employer and employee information in one report and will be available in .csv format only. This will enable you to filter and sort the data as needed.

Can I choose to keep my disbursement reports in the previous format?

No, from October 2015, your disbursement report will only be available in the new format.

Which fields will be included in the new disbursement report?

The new disbursement reports will include the following fields:

PGA’s name

PGA’s donor reference number

Employer name

Title

First name

Initials

Last name

Address 1

Address 2

Address 3

Postcode

Email address of donor

Phone number of donor

New donor

Professional fundraising organisation

Gross donation

Administrative charge

Net donation

Employer matched donation

Other match funding

Total donation to charity

Charity’s donor reference number

Please be aware that some fields may appear blank if that information is not provided or available.

Why is some of the donor information not available?

It is not mandatory for the donor to provide a phone number or email address so he/she may have chosen not to supply this information as part of his/her giving instruction. The donor also has the right to remain anonymous in which case his/her contact details will not be provided.

What can I use this information for?

You can use this data to identify those employees and employers who are actively donating through payroll giving, and thank them for their continuing support. You can also use this information to profile your donors and analyse donation trends.

Will I be able to see the changes on previous disbursement reports?

The changes will not be backdated for previous disbursement reports.

How will I receive my disbursement reports?

You will continue to receive your disbursement reports by secure email. However, as we continue to review and improve our services, we may offer alternative ways in the future.

Will all charities receive the disbursement reports?

The CAF Give As You Earn disbursement reports are provided through an annual subscription Therefore, the new disbursement reports will continue to be available to the charities that choose to subscribe to this service.

Why do you charge for the disbursement reports?

From November 2015, in conjunction with the introduction of the standardised disbursement report, we will no longer be charging a fee for providing this service.

My charity has recently signed up for a disbursement report - am I eligible for a refund on the fees that have already been collected?

If you signed up to this service and were charged a disbursement report fee between May 2015 and October 2015 (CAF's financial year runs May-April) you will be eligible for a refund. You will receive email notification once your refund has been raised and credited to your account.

I am a CAF Donate client; can I access these disbursement reports via the online portal?

The new disbursement reports will not be accessible via CAF Donate from October 2015; however, this is currently being reviewed for the future.

If your question hasn't been answered here, please contact a member of our Customer Service team on 03000 123 000 (Monday to Friday 8.30am – 5.30pm except public holidays).